Most archaeologists believe that cremation
was possibly started around 3000 BCE & most likely first
used in Europe or the Near East. It became the most common
method of final disposition by 800 BCE in Greece & 600 BCE
in Rome. Other cultures however, had other methods:

the early Christian church also
rejected cremation, partly because of its association
with pagan societies of Greece and Rome . The Christians
buried their dead in graves or in catacombs (underground
vaults).

in ancient Egypt bodies were
embalmed then buried in a tomb.

in ancient China they were buried.

When Christianity became the official
religion of the Roman Empire and the followers of other
religions were exiled or exterminated, burial became the
only method of final disposition throughout Europe
.

An Italian, Professor Brunetti,
developed the first modern cremation chamber in the
1870's. This triggered a movement towards cremation in
Europe and North America , which has continued to the
present day. In 1886, the Roman Catholic Church
officially banned cremations. Church members as recently
as World War II were excommunicated for arranging them.
The Eastern Orthodox ecumenical patriarch of
Constantinople stated in 1961 that "There is no
formal Orthodox rule against cremation, but there is a
heavy weight of custom and sentiment in favour of
Christian burial"

There are currently about 1,100
crematories and 470,915 cremations per year in North
America .

What is
Cremation?

The word cremation comes from the
Latin word cremo which means "to burn" -
particularly the burning of the dead.

Cremation generally involves the application
of high temperature, typically between 1400 and 2100 Degrees
Fahrenheit (760 to 1150 Deg. C), to a rigid cardboard or
wooden box or casket which contains the deceased. The body and
container are almost completely consumed - the
cremated remains consist of bone fragments and
particles, which usually weigh from 4 to 8 pounds (1.8 to 3.6
kg) depending on the size and weight of the body. The
bone fragments are then ground into granular form in
order to place them in a temporary container or urn. The
entire process takes from 3 to 5 hours. Although the
attendants endeavour to remove all of the bone fragments
from the cremation chamber, a small residual amount
will remain in the chamber and be mingled with
the next cremation.

Benefits of
Cremation?

it is more economical because a basic cremation
container can be used in place of a
casket.

it allows scattering of the remains in a place of
significance to the deceased or their
family.

the cost of burying cremated remains in an urn
is much more economical than the cost of burying a
body in a casket. The costs involved are the
purchase and perpetual care of a grave plot, the
opening and closing fees of the plot, a
grave-liner and a grave-marker.

many people would rather have their body
disposed of quickly by heat rather than allow it to
decompose in a grave.